Review comments

City is a good school with great teachers, but the school does not utilize money properly. Instead of using money to help students pay our tons of dues (which we are not told about until long after we become freshmen) or to purchase books necessary for class, or even to fix the very flawed heating/cooling systems, we get sometimes frivolous/purely aesthetic renovations and a new card-swiping system to get into the school and into our classes. By the end of my year last year, when they fully implemented the card swiping system, only one of my seven teachers made us swipe in to enter the room. Despite that system being useless, money was wasted on it. Despite many students being in poverty, we have to pay for expensive uniform shirts that can only be bought from a single specific store. The majority of us have to pay for our own books, which many are incapable of. The school cares deeply about college and the advisory staff definitely want to help you out in any way, but the school does not have its priorities straight in terms of where money goes and how much students have to pay.

Baltimore City College is ranked in the top 3% of public high schools (Newsweek 2013), top 1% per Greatschools test score rankings for the State of Md.. Top 10% all high schools nationwide (public, private, parochial) as ranked by nationwide college admissions offices. With the only International Baccalaurate public high school program in Baltimore City. With a droppout rate under 2% and matriculation rate of about 98%.. With the USA's #1 high school debate team. Even POTUS gave recognition to one of our graduates, at the Morehouse Univ. graduation speech in 2013. For some reason Greatschools will not acknowledge our achievements? All of this at a school, where almost half of the students are on the school lunch program. This is a five star school.

I am a current student at BCC. The school as a whole is excellent with great opportunities. The teachers here push you to do your best and to keep trying to achieve your goals. I wouldn't change it for the world. City Forever !! Class of 2016 :)

I'm a current student at BCC and I think this school is absolutely wonderful and challenging. I recommend anyone that is up to be academically challenged. The IB program is very unique and also very challenging. All through its not that diverse its still a great school with the teachers support and a friendly environment. This school is the BEST and I'm glad I chose to go here. :))

Next weekend our third child will graduate from City. My oldest son started there in 2004 (their class of 2008) and just graduated from the College of William & Mary. Each of our children have very different learning styles, temperaments, and interests, and the school work for each of them. The extracurriculars are excellent, the teaching quality very good, the IB program very challenging, and the current administrative leadership excellent. We do not feel that we compromised our children's education because we chose a Baltimore City public school. Quite the contrary, we feel their attendance here helped better prepare them for college and living in a multicultural society. It hasn't been a completely care-free 8 years there. There was a major problem with the former principal, but throughout all the years, the faculty commitment to educating each child remained. The school is physically imposing & beautiful on the outside, but suffers from the lack of public resources it deserves. The place feels very much like a family and the students seem to really connect with each other. I highly recommend this high school as an excellent choice for any family.

City continues to maintain a consistent school providing a quality academic foundation. As a 1959 graduate and the father of a 1995 graduate I noted a consistency in City's academic foundation. I was also a middle school chess coach and noted City had many excellent players on its team. This gave me insight into the minds of many of its players.

As in regards to schools for baltimore city...you have to fill out a school of choice form for your child number 1 to 5 in order of choice. My suggestion is to contact the student placement office on north avenue because the deadline for those forms has passed but if your new to baltimore city schools it probably won't apply to you